Wardrobe trunk



Aug. 27, 1929. G. H. .WOODWARD WARDROBE TRUNK Filed Jan. 16,1925 5 Sheets-Sheet IN V EN TOR.

Aug. 27, 1929. G. H. wooDwARD WARDROBE TRUNK Filed n- 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet IN VEN TOR. flea/ 9a Hb ooa'war'd.

Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UITE D STATES GEORGE H. WOOIDWARD, OF ROCHESTER,

new YORK, ASSIGNOR T J. A. VAN DEN HEUVEL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLU'IflBIA.

WARDROBE TRUNK.

Application filed. January The present invention relates to wardrobe trunks, and an object thereof is to provide a wardrobe trunk which. has solid bottom and end walls above and below the garments supported therein-so that the strength of the trunk is materially increased. Another object of the invention is to provide a ward robe trunk having a bottom section with a solid bottom wall and portions of its bottom and side walls cut away, combined with a swinging section closing the cut away portions of the bottom section, and a top section closing both the bottom section and the swinging intermediate section and having a solid top wall. Still another object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe trunk with a bottom section provided with cut away portions and an intermediate section arranged to close said cut away portions above its bottom wall andprovided with supporting means which will support the intermediate section in open position upon the surface on which the trunkrests. A still further object of the invention is to provide a trunk with amovable section mounted above the bottom of the trunk and provided with a supporting means for supporting the removable section in an open position from the surface on which the trunk rests, said supporting means being movable auto-matically toward and from the supporting posi tion. Another object of the invention is to provide a trunk with a. swinging intermediate section and to guide the intermediate section onto the bottom section when moving to closed position, so that the swinging edge of the intermediate sect-ion is lifted into proper meeting relation to the bottom section. A further object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe trunk having an intermediate swinging section, an interlocking connection between one corner of said section and the bottom section of the trunk, so that said sections are effectively locked against displacement during the handling of the trunk. Another and still further object of the invention is to provide in a trunk having abottom section having portions of its front and opposite side walls cut away and an intermediate section hinged to a side wall of the bottom section, two locking devices, one of which looks the side wall of the intermediate section to the side wall of the bottom section and the other of which locks the front wall of the intermediate section to 16, 1925. Serial No. 2,738.

the front wall of the bottom section. Still another and further object of the invention is to provide improved locking mechanisms for movable sections of wardrobe trunks. Still other'and further objects are to improve a wardrobe trunk in order to make it stronger and more durable, at the same time, giving to the trunk proper accessibility to the contents.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a wardrobe trunk constructed in accordance with this invention Fig. 2 is a front view of the trunk in open position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the manner in which the swinging intermediate section cooperates and interlocks with the bottom section;

Fig. 4 is'a central vertical section through the trunk, showing the top section in closed position;

5 is a similar view showing the top section in open position and the two locking means for the intermediate section shifted to free the intermediate section;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 4., illustrating one of the locking devices in locking position;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view showing the intermediate section open and illustrating the supporting leg therefor in supporting position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary bottom view showing the intermediate section closed and illustrating the leg in non-supporting position;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on the line 9, Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a top view of the trunk showing the cover or top section removed in order to illustrate the supporting rails for the garment hangers;

Fig. 11. is an enlarged detail view of the locking device for the swinging edge of the winging section;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12, Fig. 11

Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-43, Fig. 11;

Fig. 14: is a fragmentary detail view showing the manner in which the garment hangers are supported on the tracks or rails;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail view of the locking means illustrated in Fig. 6, showing the locking devices out of locking position;

Fig. 16 is: asimilar view showing the locking devices in looking position; and

Fig. 17 is a section on the line 1717, Fig. 16.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there are employed three sections, namely, a bottom section, a movable top section and a movable intermediate section. The bottom section embodies a solid or closed bottom wall 1 with a rear wall 2 rigid therewith, side walls 3 having their upper front portions cut away and a front wall 1 having its upper portion cut away. For closing this cut away portion of the bottom section, the intermediate section is employed. This intermediate section has a .front wall which completes the front wall of the trunk and two side walls 6 which complete the side walls of the trunk. in this instance, this intermediate section is hinged at 7 to one of the side walls of the bottom section adjacent the cut away portion so that when it swings to an open position, it exposes the interiorof the bottom section to view and allows access to its contents. The top view embodies a solid or closed top wall 8 with short side flanges 9 which meet the uppermost edges of the bottom and the intermediate section, the top section, in this instance, being -hinged at 10 to the rear wall of the bottom section.

Vfith the end in view of guiding the swinging section onto the bottom section to its closed position, so as to lift the free or swinging edge of the intermediate section, the bottom section has at the lower edge of its cut away portion at 50 an inclined edge, which meets an inclined edge 51 on the lowor edge of the side wall of the swinging section and tends to rest the free edge of the swinging section, so as to guide it onto the bottom section. An interlocking connection is also provided between the swinging section and the bottom section at the front corner of the trunk, said connection, in this instance, comprising a corner plate 52 on the bottom section and a corner plate 53 on the swinging section. The corner plate 52 has an extension 5 1 with a depressed portion 55 at its forward edge in front of which a lower corner 56 of the corner piece 53 engages. Beyond this lower corner 56, the corner piece 53 is provided with an extension 57 which has a depressed portion 58 extending over the depressed portion 55 of the extension 541 and behind the extension 54, the latter being bevelled at 58 so as to facilitate the entrance of the depressed portion 53 in rear of .the extension In this way the two corner pieces 52 and 53 are interlocked together against sidewise movement in either direction. A plate 59 extends from the corner plate 52 to cover the joint between the meeting edges 50 and 51, said corner plate 59 being mounted upon the bottom section.

Suitable locking devices are employed for locking the intermediate section against swinging while, at the same time, firmly securing it and its meeting edges with the bottom section. In this instance, two separate locking mechanisms are employed, both arranged within the trunk and controlled by the top section.

One of these locking mechanisms embodies a locking bar 11 slidably mounted on the swinging intermediate section behind straps 12 secured to the inner face of the section. This bar is normally held in a raised position by a spring 13 which lies in a slot 14. in the bar so as to abut the upper end ofthe slot and rest in its lower end on an abutment 15 formed by a lug at the lower end of a plate 16 which with a plate 17 forms a housing for the spring and a guide for the bar 11. This bar has two locking hooks or latches lS, each of which has a notch 19 which is adapted to receive one of two pins 21 projecting laterally from plates 22 which are secured to the inner face of one of the side walls of the bottom section adjacent the cut away portion and project into such cut away portion so that the pin 21 may be engaged by the walls'of the slots 19. Each slot 19 is formed at an angle to the line of movement of the slide 11 so that one of its walls tends to draw the meeting edges of the intermediate swinging section into firm engagement with the meeting edges of the bottom section, while the opposite wall of this slot tends to kick the intermediate section open, due to the fact that the spring 13 exerts pressure on the latch 18 in a direction to force the inner wall of the slot 19 in engagement with the projection 21. At the upper end of the slide 11 a lever 23 may be pivoted at 24 and this lever may have a pin and slot connection 25 with the upper end of the slot 11. The .free end of the lever projects above the top section and is adapted to engage with the inner face of the swinging top 8, so that, when the top is lowered and the swinging section is closed, the top will engage with this lever to press the plunger or slide 11 downwardly so as to cause the outer walls of the slots 19 to engage the pins 21 and draw the swinging section into close engagement with the bottom section.

It is also desirable to provide a locking mechanism which will effectively lock the front wall of the swinging section to the front wall of the bottom section. This looking mechanism embodies a slide 27 guided on the inner face of the front Wall of the swinging section by straps 28 and having like the slide 11 guide plates 16 and 17 which enclose a spring mounted and constructed in the same manner as the spring 13. The lower end of this slide is arranged to operate in a keeper 29 mounted on the inner face of the front wall of the bottom section. In order to still further lock the bottom section and the swinging section together, two detents 30 are provided pivoted at 31 to the attaching plate 32 of the keeper 29 and having their ends projected through slots 33 in opposite sides of the keeper 29, so that such ends may be engaged by the slide or plunger 27 when the latter is moved downwardly. The other ends of these latches have notches 34 adapted to engage the pins or projections 35 formed on the inner face of the front wall of the swinging section. The walls of these notches 34 are so formed that they tend to move on the pins or projections 35 and draw the meeting edges of the swinging sections into firm engagement with the meeting edge of the bottom section at this point. With the end in view of providing a means for kicking the detents 30 out of engagement with the projections 35, a plunger 36 is mounted in the keeper 29 and is pressed upwardly by a spring 37 so as to normally cause the plunger to engage the inner ends of the latches or detents 30 as shown in Fig. 15, thereby holding the latches downwardly below the upper edge of the bottom wall of the front section. As the plunger or slide 27 moves in the keeper 29, it engages the plunger 36, depresses the same out of engagement with the latches 30 and the sides of the plunger or slide 27, thereafter serve to hold the latches 30 in looking positions. This spring 37 and the spring housed by the plate 17 serve to move the plunger 27 upwardly with suflicient force to kick open slightly the top section of the trunk when the latter is released by the locking device 38 which is of any suitable construction.

' It is apparent that through this connection with the cover, the locking slide bar 27 as well as the latches 30 are moved to locking positions.

With the end in view of supporting the swinging intermediate section from the floor or surface on which the trunk rests when the intermediate section is moved to an open position, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 7, a support or leg 39 may be pivoted at 40 to the bottom wall of the intermediate swinging section, the bottom wall being situated slightly in an elevated position with reference to the lower edge of the swinging section in order to provide space for the folding of the leg and for the operating mechanism for such leg. The leg support has on its shaft a gear segment 41 which turns with the leg or support. This gear segment is adapted to be operated through a sliding rack bar 42 which has rack teeth 43 thereon for meshing with the gear segment. This rack bar also has a flat surface 44 which is adapted to cooperatewith the flat surface 45 on the gear segment 41 in order to hold the leg or support in its folded position after the teeth 43 have moved out of engagement with the gear teeth 41. This surface provides a lost motion connection with the gear to permit the rack bar to move after the swinging support has reached its folded position. The sliding rack bar 42, in this instance, is arranged in a channel 46 formed in the bottom wall of the swinging section. This rack bar has pivoted thereto at 47 a link 48' which is also pivotally connected at 49 to the bottom section, the pivotal connection 49 being eccentric with reference to the axis of the hinge 7 so that a movement of the swinging section is imparted to the link which in turn imparts a movement to the slide, the slide moving freely of the gear 42 at the beginning of its movement so that the movable section may first clear the bottom section, then the gear being operated to swing the leg or support to supporting position. On the return movement of the swinging section the leg or support is quickly moved to folded position before the swinging section is closed and then the slide moves independently of the gear while the closing movement is being completed. The swinging link or arm 48 also has the function of acting as a support for the swinging section, its pivot 49 being extended downwardly and journalledinside of the lowermost portion of the bottom sectioryand its lower end being received in a step bearing. Through this link with its lower extended bearing together with the sliding movement of the inner end of the link upon the bottom of the swinging section, it is possible to freely move the swinging section to and from closed position with a minimum amount of sagging.

In order to hold the swinging support against movement or vibration in its folded position, the link 48 has an extension 48 which engages with a lateral extension 39 on the leg or support to provide an inter locking connection between them. The extension 48 being close to and eccentric with the pivot 47 moves quickly out of engagement with the extension 39 during the first part of the movement of the movable intermediate section and returns into engagement on the last part of the closing movement.

Any suit-able means may be employed for support-ing the garments. In this instance, two guide rails are secured to the inner faces of the, side walls 3 near the upper ends of the latter and in rear of the cut away portion. In this instance, the guide rails may be connected by a cross piece 61 which extends across the inner face of the upper edge of the rear wall to strengthen the latter. The guide rails also have pivoted at 62 to their forward end, rail extensions 63 which are adapted to fold inwardly as shown in Fig. 10 so as to be out of the path of the swinging intermediate section. Gan ment hangers 64: of any suitable construction are mounted to slide on the guide rails and onto the extensions 63 when the latter are extended or swung outwardly. Through these extensions the garment hangers may move forwardly in order that the garments may be fitted onto the hangers or removed therefrom.

The swinging intermediate section may have a plurality of slide drawers 65 slidably guided therein and exposed for use when the swinging section is swung to open position. A top compartment 66 is mounted above these drawers and has a swinging closure 67 which may be reached when the top section is swung upwardly. This compartment 66 projects above the upper portion of the swinging intermediate section and into the swinging top section of the trunk, so as to utilize the space in said section in front of the garment hangers. The bottom section below the cut away portions may be provided vertically with slidable drawers or compartments 68 and 69 which may be removed when the swinging section is swung open. The rear wall of this section serves to hold the lower portions of the garments in compact arrangement by projections in rear of the cut away portion.

The operation of the invention will be understood from the foregoing but it may be summarized as follows: Assuming that the trunk is in the position shown in Fig. 1, upon the releasing of the lock 38 the cover or top section 8 will be kicked open slightly by the bar 27 through the combined action of the springs 37 and 13. Upon the still further elevation of the top section, the intermediate section will be kicked open slightly through the spring 13 acting on the bar 11. The intermediate section may now be moved to full open position, as shown in Fig. 7 During the first part of this opening movement, the slide 42 moves on the flat surface 45 on the gear 41, thereby throwing the locking projection 18 out of the path of the extension 39 on the support 39. Thereafter the teetlg 43 will engage the teeth 41 and swing he support 39 on its pivot, this taking place after the swinging section has cleared the bottom section. At the time the swinging section is in full open position, the support 39 will be positioned, as shown in Fig. 2, and will sustain the swinging section in its open position. The extension 63 may then be swung into alignment with the rails 60, so that the garment hangers may be moved forwardly in the bottom section. Of course, in this position, the slides or drawers in the bottom section may be reached, as well as the slides or drawers in the inteunediate section. The closing of the trunk is effected by swinging the intermediate section inwardly, causing the support to be moved to folded position before the swinging section reaches a position over the bottom section. Thereafter, the swinging section moves to closed position and the top section is moved clownwardly to cause the hooks 18 on the slide 11 to engage with the projections 21. A further depression of the top section not only draws the hooks in firm engagement with the projections 41, but also depresses the slide 2'? to cause the hooks or latches 30 to draw the front wall ofthe swinging section in firm engagement with the front wall of the bottom section.

A wardrobe trunk constructed in accordance with this invention has both its top walls and bottom walls solid, that is, there is no division through them, as in an ordinary wardrobe trunk. The bottom section has a rear wall to which the top section is hinged and also side walls and a front wall cut away to provide cut away portions which are closed by an intermediate section. This intermediate section, in this instance, is hinged to one side of the cut away portion to swing to an open position in order to expose the interior of the bottom section to view and access. The garment hangers are mounted on the bottom section in rear of the cut away portions, and extensions are provided for the rails on which garment hangers move to permit the garment hangers to be moved into the cut away portion. Beneath the cut away portions suitable compartments are mounted and the intermediate section has suit-able compartments which are exposed when the trunk is open. Two locking mechanisms of novel construction are provided. One of these locking mechanisms, in this instance, secures the swinging edge of the swinging intermediate section to a side wall of the bottom section, while the other secures the front wall of the intermediate section to the front wall of the bottom section. One of these locking mechanisms acts to kick open the top of the section of the trunk, while the other acts to kick open the intermediate section. A support is provided for the intermediate section which automatically moves to supporting position with the opening of the intermediate section and automatically moves to folded position on the closing of the intermediate section. A lost motion connection is provided between this support and the operating mechanism, whereby the operation of the support takes place, while the intermediate section is clear of the bottom section.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and the side walls of the bottom section, and locking means for securing the front wall of the front section to the front wall of the bottom section, said locking means having means which tends to draw together the meeting edges of the front wall of the front section and the side wall of the bottom section .said locking means being arranged on the interior of the trunk on the inner faces of the front wall of the front section and the front wall of the bottom section.

2. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall, a rear wall, two sidewalls partially cut away and a front wall partially cut away, of a top section having a solid top wall and hinged to the rear wall of the bottom section, an intermediate section hinged to a side wall of the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and the side walls of the bottom section, and locking means for securing the intermediate section to the other side wall of the bottom section, said locking means having means which tends to draw together the meeting edges of the intermediate section and the side wall of the bottom section, said locking mechanism having means controlled by the top section for effecting the movement of the locking mechanism.

3. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall, a rear wall, two side walls partially cut away and a front wall partially cut away, of a top section having asolid top wall and hinged to the rear wall of the bottom section, an intermediate section hinged to one of the side walls of the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and two side walls of said section, and locking mechanism for locking the intermediate section to the vertical meeting edge of the side wall of the bottom section, said locking mechanism having means which effects the slight opening of the intermediate section upon the opening of the top section.

4. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall, a rear wall, two side walls partially cut away and a front wall partially cut away, of a shorter section hinged to one of the vertical walls of the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and the two side walls of the bottom section, the upper edge of the side wall opposite the one to which the shorter section is hinged being inclined below the cut away portion and the lower meeting edge of the shorter section which meets this inclined edge being inclined so as to lift the shorter section as it swings toward closed position.

5. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall, a rear wall, two sidewalls partially cut away and a front wall partially cut away, of a shorter section hinged to one of the vertical Walls of the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and the side walls of the bottom section, and two interengaging corner pieces, one on the bottom section and the other on the swinging shorter section, said corner pieces being positioned on those corners of the front wall of the bottom section and'thc front wall of the shorter section, that are more remote from the hinge of the shorter section, said corner pieces being formed so that one moves automatically to and from interlocking connection with the other upon the. swinging of the intermediate section.

6. A wardrobe trunk comprising two hingedly connected sections of different heights, the shorter section having its bottom disposed in a higher plane than the bottom of the higher section, and the higher section having a portion projecting forwardly therefrom and over which the shorter section is moved to closed position, of two interengaging corner pieces, one of said corner pieces being arranged adjacent the lowermost portion of that front corner of the shorter section most remote from the hinge of the shorter section and the other of said corner pieces being-arranged on the front corner of the forwardly projecting portion adjacent the upper portion of said corner, each of said corner pieces having a depressed portion lying on the inner side of a portion of the other corner piece.

7. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall, a rear wall, two side walls partially cut away and a front wall Partially cut away, of a top section having a solid top wall hinged to the rear wall of the bottom section, an intermediate section hinged to one of the vertical walls of the bottom section and arranged to close the'cut away portions of the front wall and the two side walls of the bottom section, and locking mechanism for looking the lower edge of the front wall of the intermediate section in engagement with the upper edge of the front wall of the bottom section.

8. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall,. a rear wall, two side walls partially cut away and a front wall partially cut away, of front section hinged to one of the vertical walls of the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and the two side walls of the bottom section, locking mechanism for locking the lower edge of the front wall of the front section in engagement with the upper edge of the front wall of the bottom section, said locking mechanism embodying oppositely movable latches mounted on one of said sections and means on the other of said sections engaged by the oppositely movable latches.

9. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section having a solid bottom wall, arear wall, two side walls partially cut away and a front wall partially cut away, of a top section hinged to the bottom section, an intermediate section hinged to one of the vertical walls of the bottom section and arranged to close the cut away portions of the front wall and the two side walls of the bottom section, and locking mechanism for locking the lower edge of the front wall of the intermediate section in engagement with the upper edge of the front wall of the bottom section, said locking mechanism embodying oppositely movable latches mounted on one of said sections and meansv on the other of said sections engaged by the oppositely movable latches, and means con trolled by the top section for effecting the movement of said latches.

10. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section, an intermediate section, and a top section, of locking means for locking the intermediate section to the bottom section, controlled by the top section.

11. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section, an intermediate section, and a top section, of locking means for locking the intermediate section to the bottom section controlled by the top section, said locking means having provision for effecting the slight opening of the intermediate section when the top section is opened.

12. in a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section, an intermediate section, and a top section, of locking means for locking the intermediate section to the bottom section controlled by the top section, said locking means having provision for effecting the slight opening of the top section upon the unlocking and release of said top section.

13. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section, and a swinging section hinged to the bottom section, of a looking mechanism for locking the swinging section to the bottom section, said locking mechanism having provision for drawing the meeting edge of the swinging section downwardly into engagement with the bottom sec tion.

14. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with a bottom section, a top section hinged to the bottom section and an intermediate section mounted to swing about an upright axis on. the bottom section, of locking mechanism for locking the intermediate section to to the bottom section embodying a keeper on the bottom section, a slide on the intermediate section controlled by the top section, a spring plunger associated with the keeper, and two oppositely movable pivoted latches, held out of locking position by the tion for moving said latches away from locking positions.

16. A wardrobe trunk having two sections, one of which is hinged to the other, support ing means for supporting the hinged section in open position, and a link pivotally connected to the other section and having a lost motion connection withthe supporting means to effect the movement of the suppor ing means toward and from supporting position, the lost motion connection being constructed to permit the hinged section to clear the other section before the supporting means is moved to supporting position and being constructed to move the supporting means to folded position before the hinged section is closed.

17. A wardrobe trunk having two sections, one of which is hinged to the other, a support pivotally mounted on one of said sections, a member having gear teeth and a fiat surface and connected with said supporting member, a slide movable on the swinging section and having teeth and a flat surface, the flat surface cooperating with the flat sur face on the member of the support to permit a lost motion with said member, the teeth on the slide cooperating with the teeth on the support to effect the movement of the support toward and from supporting position, and a link pivotally connected to the slide and also pivot-ally connected to the section on which the hinged section is mounted.

18. A wardrobe trunk having two sections, one of which is hinged to the other, a support pivotally mounted on one of said sections, a member having gear teeth and a flat surface and connected with said supporting member, a slide movable on the swinging section and having teeth and a fiat surface, the flat surface cooperating with the flat surface on the member of the support to permit a lost motion with said member, the teeth on the slide cooperating with the teeth effecting the movement of the support to supporting position as the section is opened, and away from supporting posit-ion as the section is closed, and means controlled by said automatically acting means for cooperating with the support to one side of its pivot to lock the support in folded position.

20. A wardrobe trunk having a bottom section, a swinging section hinged to the bottom section and having its lowermost portion above the lower surface of said bottom section and an additional supporting means for said swinging section embodying a link pivotally mounted to the bottom section at a point eccentric to the swinging axis of the swinging section, said link having a slide connection with the swinging sect-ion.

21. A wardrobe trunk having a bottom section, a swinging section hinged to the bottom section and having its lowermost portion above the lowermost portion of the bet tom section, a swinging link having a depending bearing portion journalled on the bottom section, a step bearing for the lower end of said depending bearing portion, and a slide connection between the swinging end of the link and the swinging section.

22. A. wardrobe trunk having a bottom section, a swinging section having its lowermost portion above the lowermost portion of the bottom section, said swinging section being hinged to the bottom section, an additional supporting means for the swinging section having a swinging link mounted to turn on the bottom section above an axis eccentric to the axis of turning of the hinged section, and a slide to which the other end of the link is pivoted, said slide being guided upon the swinging section.

23. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with two hingedly connected sections of different heights, the shorter section having its bottom disposed in a higher plane than the bottom of the higher section, and the higher section having a portion projecting forwardly therefrom over which the shorter section is moved to closed position, of an internally arranged locking device between the lower edge of the shorter section and the forwardly projecting portion of the higher section, and a top section hinged to the higher section and having connection with the internally arranged locking device to effect the operation of such locking device.

24. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination of two hingedly connecting sections of different heights, the shorter section having its bottom disposed in the higher plane. than the bottom of the higher section, and the higher section having a portion projecting forwardly therefrom over which the shorter section is moved to closed position, of a top section hinged to the higher section, and locking means for the vertical meeting edges of the two hingedly connected sections, said locking means having means controlled by the top section for effecting the movement of the locking mechanism.

25. In a wardrobe trunk, the combination with two hingedly connected sections, of a top section hinged to one of said sections, and locking means between the two hingedly connected sections controlled by the top section, said locking means having provision for effecting a slight opening of the top section upon the unlocking and release of said top section and having also pro-vision for effecting an opening movement between the two hingedly connected sections upon the unlocking and release of said top sections.

26. 'A wardrobe trunk comprising two hingedly connected sections of different heights, the shorter section having its bottom disposed in a higher plane than the bottom of the higher section, and the higher portion having a portion projecting forwardly therefrom over which the shorter section is moved to closed position, and an additionalsupporting means for the swinging section embodying a swinging link having a laterally extending bearing mounted, to turn on a higher section about an axis eccentric to and parallel with the axis of turning of the swinging sect-ion and having its other end slidably mounted on the swinging section.

GEORGE E. WVOODWARD. 

